Polls are open for Oklahoma voters to cast ballots in this year's primary election.
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Both of Oklahoma's seats in the U.S. Senate are on the ballot, along with an open seat representing the 5th Congressional District. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin faces GOP opposition in the primary, as does Superintendent of Education Janet Barresi.
All current members of Oklahoma's congressional delegation seeking re-election face primary opponents except for U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine.
Republican voters will decide winner-take-all primary elections in the races for corporation commissioner and insurance commissioner. Several statewide elected officials in Oklahoma drew no opponent this cycle, including Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones, Attorney General Scott Pruitt and Treasurer Ken Miller.
In Tahlequah, Tonya Thompson, 53, said she voted for Republican U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin because she believes he'll work harder than any of his opponents.
"He lives at work. (His family) are goodhearted, godly people," said Thompson, a human resources representative for a Tulsa company.
Thompson also voted for U.S. Rep. James Lankford, who is running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn.
"(Lankford's) just going to do the right thing in office. He's honest and studies the issues," she said.
She also supported Joy Hofmeister, who is challenging Superintendent of Education Janet Barresi in the Republican primary.
"There was so much that didn't improve the way she promised," Thompson said. "I don't necessarily hate (Barresi), I just couldn't vote for her."
Gail Garcia, 60, a Tahlequah resident and teacher, cast her vote for Republican Brian Kelly for superintendent of schools because he seemed less bureaucratic than his opponents, she said.
"I don't think anyone who's not been in the classroom can make the decisions they've been making," she said.
She said she voted for Mullin because his conservative views line up with hers.
"He just seemed more real. He just seemed like a real person," she said.
Garcia said she voted for Lankford because she got an "impression that T.W. Shannon seemed like he was going to use the position for something bigger," like president or some other higher office, she said.
In Guthrie, medical secretary Karla Moreland said she voted for Dax Ewbank for GOP nominee in the governor's race. It was a vote against Gov. Mary Fallin, she said.
"I like her — she was OK, but she's very much kind of a party hack," Moreland said. "I think she just goes along with the party too much and I want people to step away from that."
In the race for the open U.S. Senate seat, Moreland said she voted for former state Sen. Randy Brogdon in the Republican primary. She said she likes Shannon and Lankford but believes Lankford "had more potential to do more for Oklahoma where he was," while Shannon doesn't have as much experience.
She also voted against incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, instead casting her ballot for Robert Hubbard in the 3rd Congressional District race.
"I like Lucas, but I just didn't feel right about him this time," she said.
Jim Burdick Jr., 60, a body shop owner from rural Logan County, said he voted for Lankford because he likes that he represents Oklahoma'sChristian faith. He said he wasn't impressed with how Shannon "bent" Lankford's voting record in TV ads. "It was taken out of context," he said.
He said he voted to make sure the people who deserve to retain their offices do.
Donald Spence, who is retired from the Oklahoma Rural Water Association, said he voted for Shannon after watching campaign ads on TV and Fox News.
"He does a good job and is not for that Obamacare," he said. "He's for the people."
Polls are open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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